Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

276 Fictions of the Irish Celts.
—follow at your leisure. Get on my back, O Mulla
Headha. I value not your weight a dry leaf. Now for
the southern bay. On they swept, leaving the breeze
behind them, and at last spied the sage Amarach as she
skimmed by the side of Ben Gulban, and passed the
mound of the sword hilt, where Diarmuid the peerless
perished by the tusk of the fell wild boar. She found
herself pursued, and increased her speed ; but Gush fe
Crish found new vigour in his limbs at sight of her,
and still was gaining as they brushed the hills of lar-
Conacht*
As they approached Knoc an Air (hill of slaughter),t
Tied Foot, who had not yet put forth his utmost speed,
swept past, and his rider, making him stop and turn
about, blew from his mouth such a mighty tempest as
rooted up the oaks in its path. Catching up the sorceress,
she was blown through the air to a great distance, and
a second blast put all further struggles on her part at an
end.
Feargal had waited wearily in the fated boat the long
hours of the day. Toward the gathering of the dark he
heard the distant tempest, which astonished him, for,
wild and horrifying as it was, it lasted only for a few
seconds. Approaching the shore, he perceived as it
were a flash of lightning darting from the bosom of the
hills, and ceasing at the near strand. He then distinguished,
in a soft, dimly-bright vapour that hovered on
the shore, the servants and their powerful mistress. He
sprung to land, and Finncaev, advancing and smiling on
him, placed the magic gifts in his hand. While he was
pouring out his thanks, she turned to her ministers, and
laid her hands caressingly on their shoulders. Smiles
of pleasure came over their weird features, and while
• Siar or lar. West ; Soir, Oirthir, East ; Thuaig, North ; Deas,
South.
t In Keny, where princes and chiefs of Greece, pursuing the
hapless Princess Niav Nua Chrotha, slaughtered many of the Fianna,
bat were in the end completely annihilated.